FootManLive - all you need to know about Football Manager Live

"FML – THE COMPLETE ONLINE FOOTBALL MANAGEMENT GUIDE" ebook is out now!

2010-11-15T15:45:00.011+02:00

Tired of being a rookie? You will now become a pro. Here’s all you need to know about the game. In‐depth tutorials and guides for the online football management M.M.O. This is all you need to master the '11 Match Engine!

Having 33 pages of tips, guides and tutorials that cover: How 1.6.5 changed the game, What to look for in a player, How to create a Tactic, Maintaining team morale, Effective Team Talks, Dealing with Injuries, Managing Club Finances, The 4-2-3-1 Super Tactic, and many others.

Free Download

Written by Valex Ferguson with contribution of Tanel Tursk.

FML – THE COMPLETE ONLINE FOOTBALL MANAGEMENT GUIDE is an unofficial and unauthorized source for educational purposes. This guide has not been authorized by SEGA or Sports Interactive Games. Football Manager Live is a registered trademark of SEGA and Sports Interactive Games. This product was created for educational reasons, having the target of making Football Manager Live users to become a better manager, owned and operated by SEGA and Sports Interactive Games.

The contents of this information infringes no copyright laws.

The difference between real life and FML, with Mark Christie

2010-05-12T15:55:00.003+03:00

You've always wondered what a real manager has to say about the game?! Wellm here it is, we got an exclusive interview with Mark, who happens to be a FML subscriber as well.

Bio: Mark Christie is the Head Coach in the DMC Sports Soccer program.
The 26-year old graduated from Perth High School in 2001, Mark has been coaching since then. As a young player Christie played for Letham Boys in Perth, Tulloch Thistle In Fife and Kinnoull JFC In Dundee.

While playing for Kinnoull Mark had try-outs with several SPL clubs, Towards the end of playing at Youth level he was brought into the Kinnoull JFC fold and played several games for the full team. At the end of the 2005 season Mark took time away from the playing side of game to concentrate on the coaching aspects. Gaining several coaching certificates.

During the 2006 Season Mark created Luncarty Boys Club, The boys club based in Luncarty now runs at 7 different age groups and has recently been awarded the SFA Quality Mark - Which is the 2nd Highest in Scottish youth football. During this time Christie worked with SPL side St. Johnstone in their community schemes, He then took on a Professional Youth Contract with Dunfermline Athletic Football Club.

Highly regarded Christie has been involved in sessions with Glasgow Celtic Football Club, Manchester City Football Club, Falkirk Football Club & Stenhousemuir Football Club. He has also worked as a youth coach at Dunfermline FC, manager of Luncarty FC, and currently is a Reserve and U19 Coach for East Stirling.

FML Self Bio: I started playing FML in Beta back in the Old GW6 (the best GW i have ever been in - RIP). During my time in GW6 RT & Mik McDade made me an XFA Org, and from there I was made a moderator in one I can't really remember the name or number of that GW; it could have been GW17, that GW did not last long as we soon went into GW23 - I think this one was called Chung. This has the final release of Beta on it and this is where all my problems began (I have never won an FA, Super FA or Youth comp since). When the game went live I was in Keane where I met loads of folk who I still keep in contact with – mainly because they are either my mates or work with me in my mod team. At this point in the game there was a need for more mods and people to head up these mod teams as Liason Mods, I was shifted into Papin to help there for a while before going into Jackett as Liason Mod. After the full reset I have found myself in both Ramos & Belanov – still not winning anything...

FootManLive: You are a real life manager, do you feel that FML/FM had an influence to your real life career?
Mark: Not really in regards to the way I manage or coach my teams, the formation that I play in game has no reflection on what I do out of the game – in fact it’s the polar opposite as I tend to attack more in the real world. The one main thing that the game has given me is a knowledge of players and their history – I feel like an encyclopaedia of the most obscure players and teams.

FootManLive: Do you think that virtual managers could do a job in real life?
Mark: Given the correct attributes I think that anyone could - it’s easy enough in the game to be able to click the train on long passing button to get players better at it, but realistically it is miles away trying to get a player to master another technique or do exactly what you ask them to do in a game. And then there is dealing with the players (or at youth level the parents).

FootManLive: What's missing from the game to make it closer to the real thing?
Mark: There isn’t anything right away that I can say would make it closer to the real thing, I don’t think a message popping up saying your goalkeeper has missed training as he was at pre-natal classes would work (that’s a joke that only a few will get...). However, I would like to see inter-squad matches introduced.

FootManLive: The player dabase is used by many clubs all over the world, but how good is it?

Mark: At the level that I am working at I feel that I can’t really use the DB for an accurate representation off players. I do use it for basic information like date of birth to see what level they can play at in the youth teams, and who they have previously played for.

FootManLive: How accurate are your players evaluated in the database?
Mark: If I am being honest I think that some of the players in the game are highly over rated and some players who are good on the real pitch are not as good in the game. My main example will be the one that gets me every single time, Jody Morris of St Johnstone has been the 2nd best midfielder in the SPL this season and was the best player the previous season. But what you find is that due to him playing for a lesser club he does not get the attributes that he should be getting. There is a thing on the Scottish forums that we call Old Firm syndrome: If a player has or does play for either of the Old Firm (Celtic/Rangers) he gets and extra 20 in his overall total just for previous being there.

FootManLive: How do you see the game's future?
Mark: The FM series could go on forever. My view is that people have to move away from annual releases (this will never happen while people still buy it) This is not just for FM but for Fifa\Madden\NBA and the likes. Bringing out paid updates every transfer window would be the way forward, I just feel that releases every year are more just bug fixes on previous versions and there is not much new or improved functionality in them.

FootManLive: Do you think you are better as a real manager or as a FML manager?
Mark: Have you ever played against me on FML? That will answer that one...

FootManLive: Are tactical instructions as meticulous in real life as they are on the game?
Mark: There is loads more that could be added to the Tactical side of the game on FM\FML but I do think it would just overload it. I think the way it is setup now is good for all levels of managers.

FootManLive: Is it really - The best job on Earth - as they say?
Mark: If I was paid the same money as the top guys im sure it would be, but at the moment the 5 hours in a car with folk farting in the back to play in -5C snowy conditions do take a little shine of it, but im sure I love it really or I would not endure them every 2nd week...

FootManLive: What would you say to the users that dream of becoming real life managers
Mark: Be prepared to switch off FM, FML and your family, football is not just training and matches, Football is players calling you at 11 at night as they don’t know something that you have told them 100 times, Or its trying to get players in, I’ve had to call players 10\15 times just to get them to come in and talk to me about coming in.

How to sell

2010-05-08T16:49:00.004+03:00

Winning, community, youths, wheeling and dealing... one of these must be the main reason for you playing the game. However, regardless of which of those you find yourself in, selling is a key part in FML, and you should know how to do it in your favor. What you should understand right from the start, is that you have to act only after a good think; not when you are desperate, angry, or just saw a player in auction that you previously owned.

In FML you have the possiblity to swap, sell trough private transfer bid or place a player in transfer auction. Picking the right method when required, can make the difference between becoming a better or a weaker club. Therefore, ill give you some examples of what do to best in different scenarios:

You have signed a player for much lower than his MV. After a couple of days, you realise he's not what you were after, and you want to get rid of him. Basically, there are two things to do in this case: either wait 8 more days and then put him in a 1£ 7-days auction, expecting you will get a fair amount for him - and pay no early tax- or just try to swap him for a lower MV player, that you rate as good or higher, without losing too much money due to tax.

It's offseason, you targeted a few players, but got no money... and you must sell. This idea is just wrong from the start. Happens very often, but it's really going to make your club go backwards; Why? - you may ask. Basically, because you sell players for a low price in this period. Regarding the ones you sign, you think they are cheaper, right? you just pay their AF... Think again, Acquisition Fee + Sign on Fee + ... their wage for a season, which probably, will be bigger than what the players you just sold had. If you do a comparison, it might prove worthwhile for the first season, but in most cases, it's gonna turn different in the 2nd one. Therefore, just stay away, if you aren't prepared in that period.

You just signed Balotelli from a transfer auction, but he doesen't seem to get along with your other players and he doesen't perform in your formation. His wage bill doesen't seem worthwhile, comparing to your other cheap striker, who plays as good for a 10 times lower wage! What to do? Don't just sell him right away for the amount you signed him for. Maybe you can swap him for a player you were after, that would cost you more to sign with pure cash.

You feel it's time to sell one of your good performers. Despite that his attributes look good, he performs really well, you still don't get any interest, nor any good offers. Don't just sell him for the first offer, even if you are desperate to sell; you just need more people to see your player and his pricetag. A 7 days 1£ auction should bring you a fair amount, if you are willing to wait that long - but be careful, you need to advertise it constantly and using all the allowed methods: Market Place add, Transfer Mails, contact Shortlisting Managers, and whatever ingenious idea you might have.
Standard auctions could be the key for you, if you want it done with quicker. The starting price is key, it can put people off, or make them think; if they get to think, the instant buy price will make them decide. Start with a low price, like under MV, and having an instant buy price of just over MV might make someone press the instant button right away!

You think you should sell your classy youth, as you can't make much of him or you can't be bothered with developing him. Yes, he looks good, you should be able to get good money for him... That's where you lose most. You just think about the present, when youth is all about the future. Try to get percentage from his next sale, it could bring you much more than you think. And also focus on the buyer, make sure he's seriously into youth, otherwise you might see him get sold next week for the same amount, and bye-bye future profit!

For each and every case, remember to think in advance, selling is very important, make it count. Have a good think about: when, how and what for. If you aren't please with all of these 3, you'd better pass and wait. Rember - DON'T RUSH!

Mad Baboons' Clasic 2-2-3-3

2010-05-03T18:04:00.003+03:00

As your already noticed, this is a 4-3-3 with Wing Backs instead of Full Backs. It's meant to give the team some power on the flanks, without sacrificing the central axe; however, all you defenders need to be physically capable to fully cover their own half, otherwise, you might concede a lot when being outnumbered on counters. The tactic will work good when your offensive players have enough vision and skill to move the ball around quickly; in case you see it's doesent work for you, maybe you need to reduce the tempo and the directness of passing, but leave the Defensive Line where it is!

Here's a bigger view of the Formation:

These are the Team Instructions:

This is how the Goalkeeper(GK) is set up:

This is how the Central Defenders(DCR/DCL) are set up:

This is how the Wing Backs(DR/DL) are set up:

This is how the most defensive Central Midfielder(MCC) is set up:

This is how the offensive Central Midfielders(MCR/MCL) are set up:

This is how the Wide Strikers(FCR/FCL) are set up:

This is how the Middle Striker is set up:

Ramos GW's Voice - 1st of May, 2010

2010-05-01T18:42:00.007+03:00

FootManLive has decided to open this column, meant to help managers express their feelings and thoughts, as well as the developers, collecting relevant feedback on a regular basis.

This has been done with the help of The Ramos GW Mod Team, and we are willing to extend, adding any GW that will show interest - mail us when you are prepared!

These are the messages we got for this edition:
'I feel at home in Ramos. I am happy with the amount of managers being Online. I am happy with the direction FML seens to head to. In general: I am happy and my players of God Like Anubis are happy :)'

Charles van Veen - God Like Anubis.

'Ramos - Home of a good all scottish team :D'

Sandy Pettigrew - Freedom Utd.

'FML is effectivly a business, so why do their people who look after it run it so badly? I see little point in BETA testing if the released product is below par and full of faults, as a paying customer I find it sickening how we are all treated, downtime everyday, terrible lag, and the only thing we hear back is when SI blame other people apart from themselves, I feel I can speek for most of the managers in Ramos when I say SI need to take full responsability for the short comings in this game and stop blaming another company, it is very unprofessional.
Please sort it out fast or you will see this reset being the biggest waste of time ever.'

Adam Thompson - York ST John FC

'FML - still addicted.
Community - great.
Starting squads, unlocked players, managers restarting: complete nonsense; goes against everything fml stands for = time and effort = success = nonexistent.
Leveling - still could do without...'
Joshua King - SMCDF

'Ramos is a damn sight more competitive than my previous 'golden age' gameworld - Fowler - probably due to there being more than fifty managers in the entire world.'
Paul Presley - Prezzlewick Unacademicals

'I hope FML gets extended and advertised more for North America as my prime time is basically 2am in England where the majority of the gameworld is from, it would create more rivalries for me to play against and chat with.'
David Barbosa - Elliot Lake United.

'Here's a top notch phrase:
Eliminating murder is like buying Messi and Ronaldo with 15 other players - impossible.
Thats is the best FML qoute i've heard!'
Luke Daley - spookio juniers

'People are idiots.... they pay 40k wage for a player they could get for 10k wage with a bit more money, who is younger and with same PA.'
Tanel Tursk - Squadra di Hiiuma

'I love FML... but please, please sort out this stupid red card bug; I was beaten 4-2 by a team the other day that went down to 9 men against my team, 1975 Portsmouth, winning 2-0 ...Grrrrrrr SORT IT!!!'
Clown Prince Baboon - 1975 Portsmouth

Youth Academies

2010-04-30T16:06:00.003+03:00

Youth Academies have been brought in FML as a result of youth free agents going for silly wages since an early age. This was on of the best solutions prepared before the reset, if not the best. Although a treat for youth-minded managers, the Academies arent that popular troughout the GW. Because of that, I'll try to introduce you to the basic stuff about them. However, note that some things might change about them every now and then, so you might want to consult the manual or the game descriptions before starting anything.

Each Academy has a level range between 1* and 5* (including 1.5*, and so on, therefore 9 levels in all). The lowest rating Academy has an upkeep of £3,600/day, will take you 2 days to build, having a construction cost of £200,000. The best one comes at £14,000/day, and will get built in 10 days for a fee of £800,000.

A common knowledge error about Academy Rep. is that people think about it in terms of the quality of the outcome - wich is false, it only has to do with the number of graduates you will get. Therefore, a Level 1 one Academy will bring you around 4 graduates/season, whist a level 5 one, around 16.

Everyone can build one Academy, but if you want to build more, you must learn the Academy Operation Level 5 skill, and then one level of the Academy Expansion skill before you can make another one. The infrastructure skills will help you reduce building time, costs, and the chance of unforeseen complications when building them.

You can build an Academy in any country you might wish. The database is going to create more high potential players in France than it will in Djibouti. But, if there are loads of academies in France, and just a couple in Djibouti, you might have more luck getting a better player from the less approached country.

If you have a built Academy, you can upgrade it - paying the rating difference just - however, if the costs feel out of hand at the moment, you can also downsize it - without any refunds though - or either, if your finances are really wrong, you can close it.

Before starting any work on this, you should really check all the skills and their use, as well as your financial situation and think a few times before starting anything!

Advantages of Youth Academies:

The chance to sign a superstar without any competition;
Possibility of maintaining a healthy youth sistem, with NORMAL wages;
The increased likehood of better players to end up in Academies, rather than Free-Agents list;
Improves the stability of the game and makes it possible for stronger CA teams to exist in FML, comparing to the past.

Tanel Tursk, a successful manager's point of view

2010-04-28T20:54:00.001+03:00

This is the big day - 2nd legg of Inter vs Barcelona, the UCL Semi Final; a meaningful day for Estonian manager of Squadra di Hiiuma, Tanel Tursk, recognised as a life supporter of Internazionale FC.

However, he found a bit of time to have a chat with us about FML. He probably is the most mature manager for his age, mastering most competitors he played against. He starts slowly, slightly anonymous, he makes his thing, gets the funds, builds a scary first 11 with wich he tries to hide his tactical downs.

Self Bio: I'm a young schoolboy from Estonia that was named Tanel by his parents. I support Inter in real life and love Italian football.

I've played FML for nearly 2 years now (a few months of BETA before it went live), I got to FML thanks to Tõnis. Over the time I've tried to grow better and better. I feel strong in the market, although tactically I sometimes lack. That hasn't stopped me from being no. 1 in Fernandez for months and months (and winning many many many titles!), but with the new ME, I hope I adapt soon and can reapeat the same tricks in Ramos.

FootManLive: What do you think about the restart of FML, how did it turn out?

Tanel: I guess restart was the only real option, but I don't believe that the way taken post-restart is very good and I really haven't enjoyed this game too much even after the restart - it just isn't the same FML anymore if you ask me.

FootManLive: Whats the best change made on the game so far?

Tanel: I like the fact that getting money is now much more related to your achievements rather than just having lots of ace reputation players. I've always been supporter that league and UFFA comps should determine how much you earn and now it's what I want to see more or less.

FootManLive: How about the worst change?
Tanel: Worst change for me is probably all the little changes that have made this game so hard to understand at times and much more complicated than it was when I first started. I can't really give anything particular, I have slight disliking for many things.

FootManLive: If you would have the power to dictate the game's development, what would you do?
Tanel: I have said many things in the past (in the Fernandez Blog for example) about what I'd make this game work towards - I would definitely try to make it more appealing so that winning isn't as important as it is now and try to make it fun to be bad even (like you could have in FM).

FootManLive: What are the most important things to do/not do early in a GameWorld?
Tanel: In an early GW, I always believe that one cannot be stuck on one squad and must always look to sell and improve, sell and improve. You need to grab as much financial advantage as possible (by grabbing some great talents, not by letting your money get interest because in a growing market, money has little value).

FootManLive: What do you think about the GW types introduced by SI. Wich one do you preffer: Classic, Ret. Stars or Fantasy?
Tanel: I would've preferred to continue with Classic.

FootManLive: How do you see the game in 1 year from now on?
Tanel: I sadly see it in roughly same state as it was 1 year after the first launch. I feel as if mistakes are being done again that are not really looking promising.

FootManLive: You were involved in many fights for trophies, what makes the difference between a winner and a challenger?
Tanel: I think the difference is in the way you approach it. Winning takes an effort, challenging might just happen. Winners are those that don't stop until they get what they want.

FootManLive: In FML, do you think Tactics are more important than Players?
Tanel: I think it has always been the tactics. You don't necessarily need stars to succeed, but of course you need players that are decent enough.

FootManLive: To you, whats the most important thing about FML?
Tanel: For me the most important thing is to enjoy the game and remember it's not life.

How to plan for the next seasons

2010-04-25T17:05:00.001+03:00

A few days ago, a manager was asking for help in the game's chat. He was on about: planning and spending for the next season. Giving it a short think, I realised that it's really something that many people do very, very wrong. The main cause of this - as ridiculous as it might sound - is that people actually don't plan at all. They just act for the current moment, without giving it a good think.

Let's get us understood from the start. It would be ideal to plan in advance for more than just one season. Yeah, right! - you're gonna say, who does this guy think he is? Alex Ferguson, or something? It's actually plain simple: planning for just one season makes it impossible to be worthwhile on the long run. Why so? Well, I'll give you a few scenarios of how to get it wrong:

1. You plan to sign players for the moment, not the future, and win everything this season. Done, you've signed a team of veterans, 28-32 range. They deliver, you win a couple of major competitions this season, and during offseason, you feel that you want to renew your lineup with younger players - Oops! You can't get rid of them, and their wages are high, so releasing them becomes a bad idea also, because the costs will make it impossible for you rebuild. You can easily imagine the chaos and downfall yet to come...

2. The plan is to create the best U17 team I can this season. Said and done. You're 15'th in the Youth Rankings and the team is doing good. Your senior side - mainly youths - did rubbish and you find yourself with no money for next season, and without a competitive side. Selling them 18 year olds, yet unready for senior level, and rebuilding a competitive side that fast, is very unlikely. Team's rep is calculated for the last 3 season's performance... and I think you're gonna suffer.

3. You want to make an all Serbian team. You basically just want to do that, thats all the thinking behind the move. Well, maybe not having enough money and power at your club will make you regret this. You might not be able to get the best Serbian players because: you don't have enough money, you can't afford getting all wonderkids in the wage wars (yet again, because you've done a few under-value swaps for some Serbs). According to my experience, these kind of plans are 99% of the time money wasters. When you want to go back to normal, you find that you have a mostly just ok players, slightly underperforming, with wage that's above their actual worth... Good luck sorting this one out!

So, when you find yourself planning next time, take into account:

Skills: what you got, what to learn, how to maximise the benefits they give;
Sources of Income: Performance, Reputation, Selling;
Players: Squad Age, Sellability Value, Market Changes, CA/PA;
Club: Balance, Payments In/Out, Stadium's Required Capacity, Supporter Type, Competition Performance Weighting.
Tactics: Starter and Cover for every position, Quality of subs, Squad depth, Versatility;
Timing: When to sell, When to buy, When to start works on the stadium, When to rebuild your squad (if neccesary).

And remember to think in advance before making any move!

What to do when your team's gone rubbish

2010-04-22T17:25:00.013+03:00

What to do? I don't get it, my team was doing so well untill now... Why has it gone all wrong?

The answer could be... many things: you've just signed/sold a player, transfer listing someone, changed a slider instruction in tactics, changed the line-up, and so on.

Ok... first of all, just think about what you've changed - regarding anything in the game. You might be able to sort it just with loading back your tactic, that you currently have it modified a bit at the moment (works most of the time).

But what if tactics don't have anything to do with this, you've had your team working with the same settings. Maybe I've signed someone (could be a trialist) and it's done something to my play! That's a possiblity, because even signing players that you don't use, can affect your team's chemistry. Usually, This gelling isues should be sorted when all your starters have Superb morale (and the new signing).

Well, sorry Mr. but I didnt change my tactics, nor signed anyone, what is it then?

Let me think... did you change your lineup? like starting the DR you used to have on bench, or swapping your FCR with your FCL; maybe you have someone injured, or perhaps you've put a player in auction? Have you checked your player's plans for the future, or their concerns? All of these could be the cause of your fall.

I'm affraid its none of the above Mr., stop wasting my time.

Ok, ok, have you checked your player's form? Just check them individually from the Matches button on each's page. Is one, or more of players constantly doing bad? If it's the Goalkeeper then you need to fix it asap - its the most common issue. Your defenders are also pretty important, because if they do costly mistakes and you go behind, it might have a dramatic effect on your team's motivation. Anyway, if either of your players is doing really bad, you should consider replacing him.

Listen, now there's a chance it might not have to do with anything written above...

What? are you kidding me, I read all that for nothing? Erm... you didn't, because im pretty sure you already found something above, but im gonna tell you something that can affect everything you just read, faking it in a way.

The fact is that you could have played against weaker opponents: you promoted and you're playing much tougher opponents. Maybe you're in the same league but you are meeting the best teams in right now... Or maybe just the others improved and you stayed there, becoming slightly uncompetitive.

Listen, every change needs time in FML: players, tactics, squad gelling, morale, and all the others. Give them time, or fix them and give them time.

Fernandez 4-1-2-1-2 Wizard Narrow Overload

2010-04-20T16:11:00.003+03:00

This tactic is all about picking up the ball and heading directly towards the goal. There are 5 outfielders set to Attack duty, and the other 5 to Defend, but, the thing is, that they must all contribute to both phases, the Philosophy being Very Fluid.

The Attacking Midfielder is given a Free Role. The key of the system is him taking out one of the central defenders, leaving one of the Forwards unmarked.

A fair amount of Pace and Off the Ball should be enough for the finishers, however, without good Composure they might miss many Clear Cut Chances.

Here's a bigger view of the Formation:

These are the Team Instructions:

This is how the Goalkeeper(GK) is set up:

This is how the Central Defenders(DCR/DCL) are set up:

This is how the Full Backs(DR/DL) are set up:

This is how the Defensive Midfielder(DM) is set up:

This is how the offensive Central Midfielders(MCR/MCL) are set up:

This is how the Attacking Midfielder(AMC) is set up:

This is how the Poacher(FCR) is set up:

This is how the Advanced Forward(FCL) is set up:

Note: You can swap your Forwards' instructions according you your players.

A mod's life on FML, with Stu Mackie

2010-04-18T17:19:00.001+03:00

Today we had a chat with the flamboyant manager of tremendous FC Fife, also known as the 'galacticos', who has a long career as a mod in FML. He is well-known for his sportsmanship, conduct, helpfulness, and for his overall performances troughout the years - he's one of the few who managed to keep Tonis behind for a while.

Self Bio: Name is Stu, I'm a 23 year-old from Scotland - and a life long Raith Rovers fan!

Have been playing FML since the launch of beta GW5 in Jan '08 - but have been hooked on the FM series since the release of CM 97/98. My team (FC Fife) have travelled around many GW's inlcuding, Fernandez, Rummenigge, Houghton, several beta GW's and are now currently in Belanov. I've never been the best team in my GW's (normally due to my Estonian friend/rival :P) but I'm usually up there somwhere.

FootManLive: What do you think about the restart of FML, how did it turn out?
Stu: Like everyone else, was a bit shocked when first heard about the decision to reset. It was a bold move on SI's part - and I don't think anyone can deny it was the right move to make. In terms of how it's turned out, I think it's a bit early to say... but so far, so good :)

FootManLive: Whats the best change made on the game so far?
Stu: Not sure about the best, but the change I could no longer live without now would be Match Plans....genius idea!

FootManLive: How about the worst change?
Stu: The new injury system! While the idea was good in theory, in practise I preffer the simpler, more realistic, old version. Not a big fan of the EFA either, it should be that the whole GW runs at 4x the speed - or none of it at all.

FootManLive: If you would have the power to dictate the game's development, what would you do?
Stu: First I would change the Returning Stars draft system. Instead of everyone being allocated a returning player, they should all go into the 'locked players' tab again, like the start of a new GW. They should only be available to managers that are in their 1st, 2nd or 3rd season in the gw (depending on player value). Thats the only fair way I can see new people being able to join GW's.

FootManLive: What do you think about the GW types introduced by SI. Wich one do you preffer: Classic, Ret. Stars or Fantasy?
Stu: I like them all (although I feel RS could be improved ;)) - if it were possible I'd have a team in each.

FootManLive: How do you see the game in 1 year from now on?
Stu: I hope it will be thriving. Im certain it will still be stable though :)

FootManLive: You are a mod since early beta, how did you like the experience?
Stu: When I first starting moderating, it made the game even more enjoyable to play than it originally was (which at the time I wouldnt have thorugh possible :P) In more recent times, I've had more 'real-life' commitments that have been intruding on my FML time - meaning that when I do get to play, the actuall time I get to spend on my team, rather than moderating, has been greatly reduced sadly. Have definitely had much more ups than downs though :D

FootManLive: Being a mod makes it easyer or harder in terms of performance?
Stu: I don't think it makes a huge amount of difference tbh. Of course there have been a few times when I've had to resist buying a player at a bargain, or have rejected an offer for a player because he was offering me 'too much' - but I've never been in a rush to perform well, and if your a good enough manager you will be able to rise to the top anyway ;)

FootManLive: How much do you estimate it will take until SI reaches their goal of making a GW to fit all the managers?
Stu: You will never please all of the people all of the time. More specialist GW's are probbaly the way to go in the long term.

FootManLive: To you, whats the most important thing about FML?
Stu: Meeting people and making friends. Corny I know, but (as a mod) I have had to leave many great communitys behind to help out in new GW's - and I still regularly chat with people whom I've not played ingame with for over 2 years now.
That... and winning :P

Manager's Headache: Injuries

2010-04-18T16:12:00.003+03:00

Injuries prove to be really important when you just forgot about them. Since the injury system in FML changed to the current one, from number of hours/days to number of matches, things became a little more complicated. That's because, you can't just wait 2 days and not play any league games whilst your player is getting fit, as injuries only count in major matches.

Imagine yourself signing in happy, for the first time that day, going to your Squad page, and seeing that red cross on the left of your Superstar's name :O. Then, you click on him, and you get:

OMG! Indeed... I'm sorry mate - he's out for the rest of the season. Damn, what can I do? Don't let it happen again!

Understanding injuries in FML
Right, every player on the game has a hidden attribute called Injury Proneness. This determines the likehood of a player getting injured. It's one of the things that matter, but it can be fixed as you will find out in the next lines, so don't take it too dramatically; I personally think that the attribute can change during a game.

Aggression, Bravery and Natural Fitness are key factors in the probability equation of a player getting injured:

Aggression: This reflects a player’s attitude in terms of playing mentality but is not necessarily a dirtiness indicator. A more aggressive player will look to involve himself in every incident and get stuck in, perhaps at the expense of a yellow card or two. A less aggressive player may shy away from situations and merely drop into his comfort zone.
Bravery: How committed and indeed, brave, a player is. Braver players will risk injury more in situations a lesser-minded player may shy away from. They’ll go in where it hurts and lay it on the line for the team.
Natural Fitness: How fit a player is as standard – his base level of fitness. It affects how many games he is likely to be able to perform to peak physical fitness in before becoming noticeably tired and susceptible to injury.

Physiotherapy skills

Clicking on the main skill you get: Each level of this skill grants a Reduction to both the likelihood of a player becoming injured and the injury length:

Level 1 : 5.00% Reduction
Level 2 : 10.00% Reduction
Level 3 : 15.00% Reduction
Level 4 : 25.00% Reduction
Level 5 : 50.00% Reduction

So, by learning these physio skills you make your team less susceptible to injuries. However, regarding the reduction of a player's injury length, don't think that by learning all the skills you become imune to injuries, just because you're having 100% reduction displayed. Why not? Well... the differant types of injuries are coded to have a certain range - eg. a Broken Leg, between 15 and 35 games. By having 100% reduction, you will have the player out for the minimum, wich in this case is 15 games.

Also, dont forget that the activity rating for your senior/youth team has a value from 1 to 5. If you have a low value it will increase your chances of being hit by an injury. To keep a steady 5, make sure your team plays 5-10 games/day. And another trick here, for eg. you play 5-6 games daily, but today you played 12, having more time off (only major games count as only there a player can get injured for an amount of games). Your team will be more susceptible to injuries in these extra games because they arent used to playing as many, so try to keep a close range of games/day.

The Idea of a Tactic - Part 2

2010-04-15T19:57:00.001+03:00

After going through Part 1, you should have a good starting point - knowing how to set up your Team Instructions so it actually turns out to be as you imagined it. In the second part I will focus on individual Player Instructions. I won't talk about specific player needs for a certain position, because I'll presume you know what you want from your team. (Here's one if you're looking for that: What to look for in a player).

In part one, we took Man Utd as the example for our imaginary exercise, therefore, we will continue here with them here.

When setting up individual instructions, you might not need to change all the sliders and options, as you can untick them and use the team instructions - because, after all, those must have something to do with our play.

Let's say we choose the following formation:

Flat 4-5-1: (1 x DL)(2 x DC)(1 x DR)(1 x ML)(3 x MC)(1 x MR)(1 x ST)

Goalkeeper

I preffer not to play a lot with these instructions, as they seem to change a lot with every Match Engine update. I leave most things default. What shall we change though, thinking of Van der Sar? His Passing is quite long, and he usually tries to send Long Kicks to Rooney - ST.

Full backs

Let's say we have Evra on the left, and Rafael on the right. Obviously, we are much stronger on the left. Evra is much more experienced and much more capable after passing his own half. So, we will use the team setting for Mentality, but give Evra significantly more freedom than what Rafael's got assigned - the team instruction. We want them to Run From Deep sometimes, Run With Ball often for Evra, sometimes for Rafael. We don't want them to send Long Shots or Through Balls, but we want Evra to send Crosses often, from Byline. We will use the team setting for Closing Down, and tell them to Man Mark - the opponent winger(if its the case). As I said in Part 1, most players will have Tight Marking on, wich includes them.

Central Defenders

What do they have to do? Defend, and maybe one of them to run with the ball a bit to open the play; we don't need them to pass long, because our keeper is doing that atm.

Well, lets pull all sliders to the minimum. Just set Run With Ball to often for the better passer - Rio Ferdinand. We want them to Mark Zonal but Tight Mark, as their speed and agility might not help them get to the ball first. They should really Close Down just a bit under the team's setting.

Deep Lying Playmaker (MC C)

This one is Carrick. Normal Mentality, Closing Down and Passing - team. Run From Deep, Run With Ball? Rarely. How about Long shots and Trough Balls? Well, he does those things often. What else does he commonly do? Hold up the Ball? Right. Closing Down - Normal, Marking? Zonal. Tight? Yes - he tries to stop the most advanced opponent midfielder.

Box-to-Box Midfielder (MC L)

You've guessed it - It's Fletcher. Having his team's courageous Mentality, but a bit more Freedom, and shorter Passing. I guess he does a bit of everything, so we should set the next 5 sliders to sometimes. He Closes Down as the rest, Marking Zonal - whoever happens to be in possesion next to him.

Attacking Midfielder (MC R)

He's slow, he's English, he doesent do much defensive work, he's Scholes. Yet again, team's Mentality, but a lot of Creating Freedom, and quite short Passing. He runs often with or without the ball, and he sends a Trough Ball whenever he sees an opening. He even sends a few Long Shots every now and then. He Roams From Position, but Closes Down more than you would expect for this role. His Marking is Zonal and fairly loose.

Wingers

Very offensive Mentality, with a fair amount of freedom and varied Passing. They Run With the Ball and try to send Crosses. However, you won't see many Long Shots or Through Balls comming from them. Most of the time, they like to Hug the Touchline. But, because the team is playing Narrow, the Winger without the ball usually ends up as the second Striker. What else? They Close Down a bit when they can, trying to stop the opposition Full Backs.

The Striker

Hehe, if you have Rooney, you don't have to tell him how to play - I hear you saying. Thats true, because Sir Alex already teached him how to :). But, what is it like replicated in FML? He's got an attacking Mentality, not too much freedom though, as he's always there, both Van der Sar and the opposition know it. Despite that, his skills allow him to get the ball, and what happens then? He tries to Run with the Ball, and most of the times he holds it untill a teammate arrives. He's just Closing Down slightly, in a way Marking one of the opposition defenders.

The Idea of a Tactic - Part 1

2010-04-14T19:55:00.005+03:00

You caught some highlights on tv by accident, and you decided to make your team in FML play like Man Utd. Ok, I think everyone's gone through this kind of moment, at least once...

The first question that should be put after this would be: Do I have the players for it?

Just to make it clear, this article is not about advice regarding formations, just style of play. (More about Formations).

Well, let's say Man Utd plays 4-3-3, or 4-5-1, either way you wanna see it or set it up, it doesen't really matter; same thing if you play someone on the DM or MC position, and so on. I've learned that you can replicate real life play without being so picky about exact player positions - That's very helpful, because it means you have more flexibility and more chances to fulfil your dream.

At first, you can notice that Utd has a lot of power on the wings, wich is where most goal actions come from. You'll notice, of course, they have a really successfull goalscorer. And when you hear about Van der Sar's aura of invicibility, you realise their defense's core is brilliant. Do you have all that? In most cases, you don't - That means, you have to get them...

You must be careful when looking for these players though, as Rooney despite not having a strike partner, isn't one of those typically tall target men.

How to set up your Team Instructions

United... right. They press out on their opponents. When they get the ball they all go foward, and when the ball reaches on of the wingers - Nani/Valencia - the counter attack becomes lethal. If Rooney gets it before the opponent, then it's most likely a goal - note that sometimes they send it straight to rooney on counter, without a semi-counter construction.

From this first-look analysis, we come up with: High Closing Down, Quick Tempo, Direct passing, not too much Creating Freedom, as each player knows where the others are. Also, that we must tick the Counter Attack checkbox, that their Mentality is fairly brave, and that they are playing Narrow, as they are really close to eachother most of the time.

We noticed that most of them Tight Mark, that their Tackles are fairly balanced, but we couldn't figure out how to set up the Defensive Line, because we only saw Rooney score a hattrick in those highlights... No worries. Most likely, if the team is pressing the opponent, the defensive line is naturally playing High. That's it, we're done! Well, almost. You forgot that they Focus Passing Down Both Flanks.

Getting more from your corners

2010-04-13T10:51:00.007+03:00

Corner kicks have been very important in FML troughout it's history. A goal is a goal - we all agree with that - though, frustrated managers tend to diminuate their value, saying that corner goals are either exploits or result of a single player's effort, not reflecting the team's value, unbalancing the game, and so on. In fact, corner goals are a combination of tactical knowledge, man management and financial power.

What do I need to score corners then?

Well, you need a taker, or maybe a couple of takers and a finisher, or a few finishers.

Why do I need a couple of takers - you may ask - well, You need to make your players send inswinging (as shown in the picture on the right) kicks, therefore, you need a right footed taker for the left corner, and a left footed taker for the right corner. This kind of execution seems best on the game from my experience.

Ok, but why do I need a few finishers and not just one?

Its like Blackjack... the more hands you have, more chances of winning u got. The ball can't have the same trajectory on every corner, no matter how good your takers are; the players in the area won't hit the ball from the same spot as they are trying to lose their man whilst changing their position. You will find that your intended finisher isn't the one that always gets to the ball first - other players positioned around him might get severall chances also. Thats why you can maximise you chances of scoring by having more capable men in the area.

Types of instructions
You can rely on massive, strong players, or quick and agile ones to send the ball in the net. In case you have a Sol' handy, these are the instructions that can make him work best: Attack Far Post, Challenge GK, and Near Post Flick On.
On the other hand, if you happen to have Agbonlanhor, think of using him as: Attack Near Post, Attack Ball From Deep or Stand on Far Post.

About the Takers

Read: Captaincy and Set-Piece Takers

About the Finishers

For the BIG ones you need, of course, Height, Jumping and Strenght; Balance and Bravery so they don't get knocked down by any defender,and for them to actually risk in 50-50 challenges, Heading to place them on target, where the keeper can't reach.

The quick ones must have top Acceleration and a fair amount of Pace, Anticipation and Off the Ball to see and make it possible to have a chance, Agility in oder to start the run fast, and a bit of Flair to pull it off.

Wonderkids in FML and FM 10.3

2010-04-11T14:45:00.002+03:00

I'd like to present you the real wonderkids in the FM 10.3 database (same used in FML after the reset). There are only 17 wonderkids in FML at the moment, in Returning Stars GameWorlds. Maybe you've seen some other lists on other websites, but I tell you this one is genuine.

Wonderkids in FM or FML are players having -10, or above 180 PA. For a better understanding of this, read Current Ability and Potential Ability.

There's only one goalkeeper and one defender on the list, most of them being Forwards:

Aaron Ramsey (MC)

Alexis Sanchez (AMRL + F C)

Alphonse Areola (GK)

Eden Hazard (AMLC)

Karim Benzema (ST)

Mario Balotelli (AMRL + FC)

Marko Marin (AMRLC + F C)

Miralem Pjanic (AMC)

Moussa Sissoko (DM)

Neymar (AM/F C)

Nicolas Otamendi (DC)

Pato (AMR + F C)

Romelu Lukaku (ST)

Sergio Aguero (AM/F C)

Sergio Canales (AMC)

Toni Kroos (M L + AM C)

Current Ability and Potential Ability

2010-04-10T16:33:00.004+03:00

Every single player on Football Manager Live has a Current Ability, also known as CA. This is a number ranging from 1-200, 1 being a very low ability, 200 being the highest. A players current ability changes throughout the game, depending on training, game time, and injuries. A player's current ability can also naturally go up, as a player gets older.

A players Current Ability CAN change throughout the game.

Every player also has a Potential Ability, commenly known as PA. Player Ability is a number that players are assigned to before the GameWorld starts, and a players potential ability is the same on everyones game. This number also ranges from 1-200. A potential ability of 1 means the player is more than likely to be awful, a potential ability of 200 has the potential to be one of the worlds best. Although most players have set potential abilities, some players have varying potential abilities. These potential abilities are negative potentials. At the start of a new GameWorld players with negative potentials are assigned potentials, ranging from one number to another. The different negative abilities and what they mean are shown below:

-10 = PA 170-200
-9 = 150-180
-8 = 130-160
-7 = 110-140
-6 = 90-120
-5 = 70-100
-4 = 50-80
-3 = 30-60
-2 = 10-40
-1 = 1-20

In addition, having a PA of 0 means that a player will get a random PA between 1 and 200. This figure has to be above his starting CA.

A players Potential Ability CAN NOT change throughout the game.

Part of content was taken from FM/FML Manuals © Sports Interactive Ltd 2008

The feared Tonis Lohmus, having a chat with FootManLive

2010-04-09T19:38:00.004+03:00

The Manager of Piraaja JK, also known as 'Don Tony', is probably the most famous manager on FML. All know him. Fewer like him. In fact, you don't have to like him, because he will always be your opponent :). Being in a different GameWorld than mine, for quite a while now, he became a bit boored after trashing everyone. But the fact is, the reset made him lose interest, as it happened to many managers, saddly.
Despite all that, I'm sure he will be caught by the game after a while, if he finds some proper competition. Tonis is one of the best at understanding the game, therefore, we were enthusiastic to have a little chat with him, after the reset.

Self Bio:
27 year-old lad from Estonia. Not so typical football lover, I rather play myself than watch my favorite teams playing.

My FML career starts back in January 2008. I started beta-testing in GW5. After GW5, I was promoted to Moderator status, and have been one till the latest restart, decided to quit modding in March 2010, as I couldn't motivate myself anymore :).

In live GW's, before the restart, I have been in Fernandez, Toms and Houghton. Last 2 were definitely the ones I dominated, didn't do so bad in Fernandez either. Toms' and Houghton's success story, of course, has much to do with my infamous 460 :).

Though I have never been banned or caught as cheating, I ain't most loved person in FML. Probably cause I'm cocky, and way too honest with my sayings :P. It's hard to be a mod and have an appreciated success story, because a lot of people think that you take advantage of your powers :).

Currently im in Live GW Sanchez(I think) and beta GW Miller, last one is more important to me, as I don't know if i will extend my sub in Sanchez, when it runs out in may. Never say never...

FootManLive: Do you think the restart of FML was necessary, will it happen again?
Tonis: Restart was necessary, but not all changes :). Hopefully it won't happen again, but only if they have sense to launch new GW's only when really needed.

FootManLive: Whats your all-time favorite improvement on the game?

Tonis: Youth academies, but they have to improve I guess.

FootManLive: What change annoyed you most?

Tonis: That ME was changed in the way it would need teamtalks, and they havent introduced teamtalks.

FootManLive: What do you think about the GW types introduced by SI. Which one do you prefer: Classic, Ret. Stars or Fantasy?

Tonis: RS and FS are great adds, but not for me, I need Classic.

FootManLive: If you would have the power to dictate the game's development, what would you do?

Tonis: Bring classic GW, add teamtalks, rebuild player wage demands, would bring in jadedness and reduce injuries, etc :).

FootManLive: What are the most important things to do/not do early in a GameWorld?

Tonis: Most important is to keep low wages, but still get right players ;).

FootManLive: In FML, do you think Tactics are more important than Players?

Tonis: Now days they are quite equal, you can build decent tactics and buy players for it, or buy decent players, then build tactics for them.
In reality, manager has to have a vision. You should know how you wanna play and how to make it work. If you don't have right players you may need to tweak it a bit. Most important is that avg result wont drop.

FootManLive: Can managers still keep dominating a long period of time, after the last few Match Engine updates?

Tonis: Sure, its possible, but you need commitment and time. But new ME brings out new talents. Some old dogs are bit tired and cant be bothered that much.

FootManLive: What was the Tactic that brought you the longest success in your career?

Tonis: Infamous box office filler 460, I have had many great tactics in different ME's, back in beta days, but 460 is The One, cause that ME lasted longer.
Story is quite simple, I didn't like plain 451s domination, cause it was so freakin' defensive :). So I put few ideas together. It worked, and I loved it. Period was January 2009 to October 2009. cca. During that, I won about 100 official trophies.

FootManLive: To you, what's most important in FML?

Tonis: Winning and community :=).

Val's Clasic 4-6-0

2010-04-09T18:57:00.004+03:00

This is the tactic I used for a long time. I did many changes during the seasons, but this one I'm gonna show here is one of the first versions (the 16'th to be precise). Its based on fast and gifted players, that will run not just the whole 90 mins, but injury time as well. As you can notice, there is no player on the ST position.
There are quite a few versions of 4-6-0, wich got their attention cause of their success. The tactic will deliver if you have a complete line-up of good players. Those 3 Attacking Midfielders will score most of your goals usually, but if you have good wingers that can cut inside and use their opposite foot, then you'll have a real competition!

Here's a bigger view of the Formation:

These are the Team Instructions:

This is how the Goalkeeper(GK) is set up:

This is how the Central Defenders(DCR/DCL) are set up:

This is how the Full Backs(DR/DL) are set up:

This is how the most defensive Central Midfielder(MCC) is set up:

This is how the offensive Central Midfielders(MCR/MCL) are set up:

This is how the Wingers(AMR/AML) are set up:

This is how the Attacking Midfielder(AMCC) is set up:

Remember, to have maximum efficiency, you should read What to look for in a player.

What to look for in a player

2010-04-08T21:37:00.001+03:00

Everyone has their version of looking at a player. Even if we use the same filters, we might still pick players differently - this really makes the difference between the best and the rest. The thing is, that you should normally learn and experience a lot in your first years on FM or FML, therefore, chaging the way you see players radically.

What you'll find in the following lines, is my way of viewing it. This will serve you for a better understand of my Tactics that will be posted on the website.

The Goalkeeper

When I look for a goalie, the first things that come trough my mind are: Reflexes, Decisions and Agility. Handling is important only when the Tendency to Punch attribute is low. Other things I look for, would be these 4 mental attributes: Composure, Concentration, Determination and Positioning. Jumping, Aerial Ability and Commanding Area work together: If the players Commanding Area atribute is high, it means that he will take charge and attempt to get the ball first when a cross is sent - corners and free-kicks as well.

Full Backs

Well, full backs just need speed, tackling and crossing, right?

Im sorry, but, the answer is no :). The things I look at first are: Tackling, Determination, Composure, Concentration, Bravery, Stamina, and speed. Note, If Determination lacks, then Work Rate must be good - 14 or above.

The thing is, you might want him to do much more than just defend and send a few simple passes forward. In that case, you need him to have good Passing, Dribbling, Crossing maybe?... But that's not the whole story. He needs to be a team player, therefore Teamwork is required, also Anticipation and Agility - him being able to read the game well and avoid dangerous counter attacks by starting his run back very, very fast.

Central Defenders

For me, they are all about mental and physical attributes. Tackling is the only important technical attribute for a defender IMO. Marking and Heading are also to look at, they count lesser then the other 2 categories. The main things to look for would be: Jumping, Balance, Strenght, Composure, Concentration, Determination and, of course, speed wich is always a bonus for any outfielder. The player's natural height should also be considered, because it actually makes a difference in how high a player can reach the ball, since a few versions ago. Some follow a common theory about their centre-backs: one must be fast, one must be tall.

Defensive Midfielders

Again, here's a few ways of seeing this: either a tall and strong player like Patrick Vieira, or a more gited and pacey one, like Gelson Fernandes. To be honest, I always look for a mix of them two. That way, the player must jump, run and last a full game. There arent many, but the few that have high Marking, Tackling and Concentration, are ones not to miss! Anticipation, Bravery, Determination, Work Rate, and Teamwork are other things to look at. If you might let him come forward from time to time, you need him to have a good Passing ability, and also, very useful, shooting ability. I regard this player as the most important in an overall good team.

Central Attacking Midfielders

The game speeds up when the ball reaches them, so probably you should be looking for a high First Touch ability. They obviously are the most pleasent to watch, the most gifted; therefore, they need Dribbling and Technique. But What can they do without a brain? They will just run by themselves and try to dribble 11 men! Thats why they need to have vision, meaning Creativity, and whats that without Flair? I didn't forget! they are team players, and must posses a high Teamwork number. Ok, we're good, but what use, if they get knackered after 30 mins? Well, we avoid that by comparing their Stamina with their speed, and Work Rate. Of course, they should score a fair amount of goals per season, just lower than the strikers, and to get chances often they need Off the Ball, and Finishing/Long Shots to actually make them count.

Wingers

Wingers are meant to run. Besides that, they have to do something with the ball... either beat their man and cross, or cut inside and cause havoc or score. In any case, you should look for: Acceleration, Pace, Balance, Stamina, Dribbling, Technique, Agility, Off the Ball, Decisions and Flair. If you want them to score, you should probably look for better Finising and Composure; if you want them to cross, look for better Passing and Crossing.

There's one more thing I'd like to add here. If we're interested in signing a left winger, an AML, if we want him to score - setting him to cut inside - we should look for a player that has a strong right foot, and if we want him to cross, he should have a strong left.

Forwards

This is easy right? Get one with 20 Finising and you're there!

No way jose! Theres much more than that, in fact, Finishing isnt as important as most managers think. Ha ha, foolish words - you're saying. That's why I'll explain this a bit. I ask you now, what does one have to do before he actually gets into a finising position? Well, lose the other player... Correct! this means, Anticipation, Concentration, Off the Ball and speed. How about another scenario? Well... ermmm... he goes past two and rounds the keeper... Right again! therefore, he needs Dribbling, Technique, Balance, Flair. What about if he heads one in? in order for him to do that, he needs Bravery, Strenght and a good Heading ability. You choose what kind of players you want upfront, Strikers, Forwards, but in any case, Determination, Work Rate and Stamina will improve their goals/game percentage.

Goalkeeper Attributes

2010-04-08T19:57:00.006+03:00

Goalkeepers are often referred to as a different breed. They’ve got their own set of Technical attributes in Football Manager which are relevant only to them, and replace the standard Technical ratings (although they may have ratings in some of these areas which will remain invisible – for example, a goalkeeper who often takes penalties or free kicks could have a rating here).
Also bear in mind that goalkeepers will also need suitable Physical and Mental attributes to succeed.

ATTRIBUTE	DESCRIPTION
Aerial Ability	This is a goalkeeper’s ability to deal with the ball in aerial situations – punching and catching. Goalkeepers with higher ratings here will be able to deal with these potentially tricky situations more capably. Taller goalkeepers may have an advantage as well, but that isn’t to say smaller ones will struggle.
Command of Area	This affects how well the goalkeeper takes charge of his penalty area and works with his defensive line. A goalkeeper who commands his entire box (i.e. has a high rating) will be instinctive and look to take charge of situations, especially coming for crosses (therefore working in tandem with Aerial Ability). Do note, however, that a high rating only increases his penchant for coming for crosses and not necessarily claiming them all.
Communication	How well a goalkeeper communicates with his defensive line and organises the defensive side of the team. A higher rating reflects a better communicator and will allow your back five (or more) to work better together, ensuring better defensive stability.
Eccentricity	This attribute represents the likelihood of the goalkeeper to do the unexpected and typically act completely un-like a goalkeeper. Things like dribbling out of his area will be commonplace if the eccentricity attribute is high.
Handling	How securely the goalkeeper holds onto the ball when making a save or coming for a loose ball. Greater handling will be beneficial in unfavourable weather conditions, but in general a goalkeeper who doesn’t give up rebounds will be useful.
Kicking	The physical capability of a goalkeeper to kick the ball – this purely defines the distance he can reach. His Passing and Technique ratings will define how accurate his kicks are.
One on Ones	The ability of the goalkeeper to do well when faced with an opponent in a one on one situation. Higher attributes will see goalkeepers attempt to impose themselves and win the ball with confidence.
Reflexes	How good the goalkeeper is at making instinctive reaction saves. If he has a high reflexes rating he will be able to respond to the unpredictable with more success and be able to pull off the highlight reel saves.
Rushing Out	How good the goalkeeper is at coming off his line to react to through balls and similar situations. A goalkeeper will benefit from Pace and Acceleration here as well.
Tendency to Punch	This determines whether a goalkeeper will catch the ball when he can, or punch it clear. A higher rating reflects a tendency to punch most things clear even when it may be possible to hold onto the ball.
Throwing	How good the goalkeeper’s distribution with his arms is. A higher rating will increase the accuracy of his throws, although Strength imparts on the distance he is able to reach.

Positions

2010-04-07T19:40:00.000+03:00

These correspond with the text descriptions found at the top of the left side panel. Six strengths of position are considered:

Natural – This is the player’s natural position and the one he will perform at his peak in.
Accomplished – The player isn’t naturally at his best in this position but will perform in an accomplished and successful manner.
Competent – The player has enough experience and ability to put in convincing performances here, but don’t expect any fireworks or long-term success.
Unconvincing – The player is playing out of position but will be able to do a decent job for a short period.
Awkward – The player isn’t likely to be particularly successful playing in this position. He may fill in for emergencies but will be struggling.
Ineffectual – The player cannot play this position. You are free to play him there but he will not perform well.

The screen also displays the competence of a player with either foot as well as any preferred moves he may have. This is really important when you consider setting up the Wide Play instruction: eg. If you are playing a left footed Winger on the right, you should set him up to Cut Inside - that way he will have more chances of getting something out of an action.

Technical Attributes

2010-04-07T17:47:00.008+03:00

These attributes are the real meat of the football world, where the elite are separated from the very good, and the very good from the rest. These are the playing attributes, where you’ll be looking for consistent ratings across the board for most of your players, and high-end ratings for the elite players you want to add to your squad.

ATTRIBUTE	DESCRIPTION
Corners	This attribute reflects how well the player takes a corner. Taking advantage of set-pieces is important, and having a capable corner taker to put the ball into key areas is useful.
Crossing	This indicates a player’s proficiency at crossing the ball from wide areas into the penalty box.
Dribbling	This refers to the player’s ability to dribble with the ball. This is purely his proficiency with the ball at his feet – his Pace, Acceleration, Agility, and Balance will all aid his dribbling in different circumstances, and whilst a higher dribbling attribute will also help him in different situations, dribbling alone isn’t enough to get by.
Finishing	The player’s ability to put the ball in the back of the net when presented with a chance. A high finishing attribute will put the shot on target a majority of the time as a bare minimum but compared to a player with poorer finishing will find the places where the goalkeeper can’t save it. This is purely the ability of the player to perform an accurate shot – Composure and Decisions will also impart on the ability of a player to score consistently.
First Touch	How good a player’s first touch is when receiving possession. A higher rating will ensure that the player can trap the ball quicker and put it in a useful position to then act upon. Players with lower ratings here will struggle to control the ball as adeptly and may be prone to losing the ball if closed down quickly.
Free Kick Taking	This reflects how good at taking free kicks the player is. It applies to both direct shots at goal and deliveries into dangerous areas from wider or deeper positions. A player who is proficient in taking free kicks can be a valuable commodity – scoring five free kicks a season and adding five more assists from them can be a huge bonus.
Heading	This is a player’s competence in aerial situations. Heading applies to all situations and is only about the player’s ability to head the ball well. Jumping (and to a lesser extent Strength) plays a big part in combination with heading to utilize the attribute to a greater level, as well as a player’s height.
Long Shots	This is the player’s prowess at shooting from distance – from outside the penalty area. It is largely a stand-alone attribute but pay attention to any PPMs the player may have which complement their long shots rating.
Long Throws	The ability of the player to perform a long throw, which can be taken advantage of in attacking situations.
Marking	How well players, mainly defensive types, mark an opponent. Marking alone will see them do a good job if the attribute is high, but remember that other attributes – Strength, Off the Ball, Anticipation – will play a part in the effectiveness of the marking, as well as the comparable physical statures of the two players.
Passing	How good the player is at passing the ball. His technique and ability will determine his success at passing over longer distances.
Penalty Taking	The ability of the player from the penalty spot. A player with a high rating here will be more confident and capable from 12 yards.
Tackling	How successfully the player is at winning tackles and not conceding fouls from such situations. Players with a high tackling rating will consistently win the ball cleanly and be a more capable defensive player.
Technique	Technique is the aesthetic quality of a player’s technical game – how refined they appear to be with the ball. A player with high technique will be more likely to pull off a tricky pass or a cross-field ball with greater ease than someone less technically able. This in turn affects a number of technical attributes – poorer technique will let a player down.

Captaincy and Set-Piece Takers

2010-04-06T21:40:00.002+03:00

When considering your captain, one of the primary things to look for is a high Influence attribute. Anyone with 17 or above here should immediately be considered as a candidate, but there’s more to look at than just that. Your captain should be mentally strong enough to be a capable leader of his team-mates. In FML you can't see the player's Personality, therefore you have to figure it out from his mental attributes and his performance on the pitch.
Also consider the player’s age and experience – ideally he’ll have been at the team for a few years and been in football long enough to understand what it is to captain a team. Besides Influence, other things to look would be: Determination, Bravery, Teamwork and Work Rate.

Good set-pieces can be the difference between no points and one, or one point and three. Taking advantage of the numerous dead-ball situations which occur in matches can work massively to your benefit.

Primarily you need to identify your best corner, throw-in, and free kick takers. Each of these have their own attributes, so initially look for 15 and above in these areas. If your squad isn’t blessed with anyone particularly capable, consider bringing one in. Once you’ve identified potential takers, you can start narrowing the selections down.

A good corner taker will also have good Crossing, naturally because they’ll be using these crossing skills to put the ball into dangerous areas. Also consider the footedness of a player – do you want your corners to be in-swinging or out-swinging?

A good free-kick taker will also have good Crossing if the attempts are not direct at goal, since the free-kick will likely be put into a dangerous offensive area. If the shot is direct on goal, Long Shots may come into consideration depending on the distance, and a good Technique may be required. High Composure and Concentration are often seen in the best dead-ball specialists, so try and piece these attributes together as best you can to find the ideal free-kick takers.

Throw-in takers should have a good Long Throws rating to make full use of the situation, but to pull it off well they’ll need to have good ratings in Strength and Balance, to get a really good throw away. Ideally a long throw will be towards a target in the penalty area.

When selecting Penalty takers, much of the above applies. Your regular penalty taker should have a high Penalty Taking attribute, may have good Finishing, and above most other attributes, needs high Composure, Concentration, and Decisions. Consider these attributes in greater scope when selecting takers for a penalty shootout. It may be that you’re forced to use players who aren’t natural penalty takers, so look at the next most important attributes – mentally strong, capable players who strike a ball well and make a good decision.

The above part was taken from the FML Manual. Personally, I've learned that Technique, Composure and Concentration count more than the Free Kicks attribute in FML - in terms of scoring direct free-kicks. Another thing I noticed, is that few of my best ever corner takers, were really poor at Crossing. Regarding Penalty takers, I remember not having decent ones at times, yet still scoring a very good percentage of them, just by setting one of the central defenders to take them - I guess being strong mentally helped me with this. Funny thing is, having players with high Penalty Taking, but lacking some mental attributes, will cost you more misses than you might expect.

A chat with Ash Fista, manager of 1975 Portsmouth

2010-04-06T13:51:00.011+03:00

Ash Fista, well-known manager of 1975 Portsmouth, widely regarded as a talented manager, agreed to have a chat with FootManLive, about the past, the present, and the future of the game.

Self Bio: 'I started mt FML life at the launch of the GW Cantona... I stayed there for 2 seasons not winning a thing or even completing my team; It was shocking, and my tactical knowledge was very, very low.
I then transfered to Fernandez where I was met by Pellow; he put his arm around me as I could see I was very much a novice... He introduced me to a clan known as Djiboutti, where I was instantly taken in as a friend. The Leader of the Dji's was *****, who became a very good friend with a fast knowledge of FML. He showed me some things and gave me all his expertise and know-how...

I stayed in Fernandez for a number of seasons winning a small amount of trophies and reaching the giddy heights of being ranked #5, which was to be my highest ever ranking...

I did leave Fernandez for 1 season where I joined Papin, but after 1 season of being away from my friends, I knew where I had to go...

All in all, my FML experience so far has been a journey ive very much enjoyed!!!'

FootManLive: What do you think about the restart of FML, how did it turn out?
Ash: The restart has gone ok I think, maybe with a little more bugs than 1st imagined, but overall I think its gone quite well.

FootManLive: Whats the best change made on the game so far?
Ash: The way they have designed the game to go slower than before; eg. releasing players slowly I think is a good idea - hopefully this will keep wages down, which can only be a good thing.

FootManLive: How about the worst change?
Ash: I cant think of a bad change atm... but maybe I will find something out in the future.

FootManLive: If you would have the power to dictate the game's development, what would you do?
Ash: I think you really need to keep the paying customer happy by being inovitive and original. Spread the money evenly to begin with, to keep everybody on an even keel. One thing I would do, implement more stricter punishment for overspending!

FootManLive: What are the most important things to do/not do early in a GameWorld?
Ash: You need to get a good balance of player from the pools, take ya time before confirming your squad, you have plenty of it and a good GK is a must.

FootManLive: What do you think about the GW types introduced by SI. Wich one do you preffer: Classic, Ret. Stars or Fantasy?
Ash: Im playing in both and I think Returning Stars is better for the novice, and Fantasy is better for the more experienced manager. But personally I like returning stars.

FootManLive: How do you see the game in 1 year from now on?
Ash: I really hope that in 12 months time the game becomes really buzzing and active.

FootManLive: You were involved in many fights for trophies, what makes the difference between a winner and a challenger?
Ash: I think theres a thin line between being successful or not, But I think you should never be afraid to take advice and listen to what other managers have experienced. I also think being patient and not too quick to change things tactically helps a lot.

FootManLive: How do you see the new skill system?
Ash: I defo like the new skills system cause if you're not online everyday, at least you can set it up to learn a lot of different skills in 24 hrs.

FootManLive: To you, whats the most important thing about FML?
Ash: The most important thing to me about FML is that I have a good set of friends on here, that are all willing to help eachother and create a good atmosphere, hence makin playing FML a great Experience!